Ed Byrne: Tragedy Plus Time

Mark Twain’s definition of humour as tragedy plus time forms the basis of Ed Byrne’s compelling show. The premise is that with the distance of time tragic events can eventually become a source of humour. Byrne puts this to the test as he recounts his troubled relationship with his younger brother who passed away shortly after reconciling with him. The story is indeed tragic, and although Byrne’s treatment of this narrative is often hilarious, he also highlights its poignancy.

Byrne is extremely energetic on stage and, perhaps, even hyperactive. His stories are, therefore, rich in detail as he immerses his audience into the ambience of the scenarios with enormous intricacy. This makes his accounts of his family relationships extremely relatable; the audience can easily imagine similar family dynamics in their own lives. The heated and often turbulent relationship with his brother is fuelled by highly recognisable sentiments such as sibling rivalry. The absurdity and irony of the situations that Byrne invokes is one of the more powerful aspects of his comedy. He employs humour in order to reconcile his own sense of his personal shortcomings in these situations and transforms them into important life lessons. 

Black humour inevitably defines the performance as he is dealing with a dark topic and recounting sometimes strange and indelicate human responses to incredibly sorrowful circumstances. Byrne presents this as a natural and regrettable part of the failures of human nature and uses comedy to expose and expel them. This requires an acute and courageous introspection that is undoubtedly best handled with comedy. Byrne’s very endearing disposition and impeccable comic timing allow him to successfully employ humour as the vehicle for this challenging and sometimes treacherous personal journey.

Patricia Di Risio